Power Corrupts
by Xandrolar
Summary: Q visits the Enterprise to help them save Wesley from the Borg . My own story as to why Wesley is in Nemesis Lots of Character death & poss spoilers please read and review :
1. Beginning of the End Part 1

STAR

TREK:

THE NEXT GENERATION

Authors note: this story is mainly set in Seasons 7 and takes place after Journeys End, and just before All Good Things.

Power Corrupts

Chapter 1

Captain Jean Luc Picard stood on the bridge of his ship, the _Enterprise, _taking in the sight on the viewscreen.

"Fascinating" he said aloud. In front of him at the operations console, Lt. Commander Data, cocked his head.

"Sir, I do not believe that analogy is correct, we have collected 22 readings from different suns that are about to go nova or are cooling" the Android said. Picard arched an eyebrow at him and patted his shoulder.

"Nevertheless, seeing a star going nova, in any instance, and being witness to it is an awe inspiring experience" Picard replied as he re-took his command seat. At the Ops console Data swiveled his chair to face him.

"I do not understand the experience myself" he admitted.

"History Data" said Commander Riker. "Think about it, we're actually living, breathing witnesses to the end of a sun, who, millions of years ago helped give birth to a race long since gone. In another million years, other races will come here, and all they'll find here is an asteroid field, nothing to tell them of the past this system once held" explained the first officer. Data blinked and then nodded.

"In that case commander, I can see why this experience is indeed awe inspiring" Data replied before turning his chair back to its correct position. Picard leaned over to Riker.

"Succulently put number one" he praised. Ricker smiled.

"It is awe inspiring though" Riker said. Picard nodded his head in agreement.

Deanna Troi stood in Ten Forwards with Beverly Crusher watching the sun through darkened view ports, a companionable silence between them. With barely a whisper the Bar Hostess, Guinan, appeared next to them.

"If I knew the view would be this exciting, I'd have sold tickets" she said good naturedly.

"Sorry Guinan, all the observation lounges were taken" Beverly explained. Guinan smiled at her and held out a tray with two drinks on it.

"Yes, but those lounges don't have drinks supplied" she added with a wink. The ladies laughed and took their drinks. Guinan nodded at them and turned around to return to the bar, when she dropped the tray. It hit a table, causing both Deanna and Beverly to look at her.

"Guinan?" said Deanna stepping forwards. Guinan was looking around the room, as if seeing it for the first time. Slowly she knelt and picked up the tray, and placed it on the bar.

"Guinan?" prompted Deanna again. Guinan turned to her.

"Sorry, I just had a strange feeling…" she said, stepping around and behind the bar.

"Captain, there is a solar flare forming on the suns surface" Said Worf looking up sharply.

"Location?" asked Picard standing.

"It's building up 42 degrees above the southern hemisphere"

"Right in front of us" Muttered Riker.

"helm, move us away from the area, impulse" Picard ordered. At the Helm the young lady put in the commands. A moment later she looked up.

"Helm isn't responding sir" she said.

"Confirmed, Helm control has been locked out, both here and in engineering" Data said moments later. Picard looked at the viewscreen, the flare had formed enough to now be visible as a tendril slithering away from the sun. Suddenly there was a flash of light behind Picard.

"Well Picard, looks like someone forgot their sun cream" Picard whirled around.

"Admit it, you missed me" said Q.

Picard moved up the bridge to face the god like being.

"Q, what the hell are you doing here?" Picard demanded angrily. Q Looked at him and shrugged.

"Do I need an excuses to visit such an old friend?" Q replied sarcastically.

"We are not friends Q" shot back Picard.

"Well with an attitude like that, I have to wonder why" Picard rolled his eyes.

"Permission to rotate Q off the bridge sir" growled Worf, glaring at Q from Tactical. Picard shook his head, knowing full well that the Klingon wouldn't have a chance in hell of getting rid of Q.

"Microbrain! Still manning the one post without a chair I see" said Q. Worf's only response was a low rumble.

"Q I am going to ask you once more, what are you doing here?" demanded Picard.

"Well, to be honest, I'm here at the request of my fellow Q, you see, it seems a human has decided to go and make themselves greater than the sum of their parts"

"So you feel threatened?" asked Riker.

"Threatened? The Q? Riker, the day something threatens the Q is the day we'll bow down and serve you" replied Q. He turned his attention back to Picard.

"But before we continue, I suppose I should stop you getting vaporized" Q said. At ops, Data cocked his head.

"Sir, the solar flare is dissipating, we are no longer in any danger" reported the Android.

"If Q hadn't stopped our engines working we would not have been in any danger" retorted Worf.

"How cleaver, the Klingon worked that out all by himself, here Worf have a reward" said Q. A second later a big gold star appeared next to Worf's comm. Badge, with the word's 'Star Student' written across them. Worf grabbed the star and ripped it off his uniform. Q shrugged.

"Maybe a Tribble would've been a better present" Q muttered.

"Q!" yelled Picard, getting the entities attention again. "You deliberately prevented us from moving our ship out of harms way, and all you've told me is that it's because of some human"

"Oh yes. Well you see this human's powers have gotten the attention from unsavory people-" Q began, however he was cut off when Worf spoke up.

"Sir, we're detecting a class one shuttle craft on the edge of sensors, it's heavily damaged" the Klingon reported.

"Life signs?" asked Riker. Data checked his instruments.

"I'm reading one life sign, it's faint. Sir from these readings the shuttles hull is nearly compromised and life support is off line, also the engines are not regulating properly, they could feed back and cause an explosion any moment" said Data.

"Hail the shuttle" Picard ordered. Worf opened the communications channel and nodded to Picard.

"This is Captain Picard of the USS Enterprise to unknown Federation shuttle please respond" Picard stopped speaking and waited.

"No response" said Worf.

"Sir, given the damage to the shuttle, the pilot could well be unconscious" Data offered.

"They do not have shields raised, we can transport the pilot aboard" said Riker.

"I disagree captain, if this is the Human Q was speaking of, they could pose a significant risk to this vessel" objected Worf.

"Hello, still in the Room here, I'd appreciate being talked to rather than about" Q said airily. Picard ignored him and nodded to Riker.

"Have the pilot beamed to sickbay" he ordered, before tapping his comm. Badge.

"Picard to Doctor Crusher, we've encountered a badly damaged shuttle and are beaming the pilot to sickbay, we believe they may be unconscious"

"I'm ready to receive" replied Beverly over the comm..

"Sir, there is another vessel entering the system, designation…" Worf looked up sharply.

"It's Borg" he finished.

"Helm are the engines responding?" asked Picard, who was actually looking at Q.

"Helm is now responding captain" said Q, who had suddenly appeared there. Picard didn't waste any time instead he tapped his comm. Badge.

"Is the pilot of the shuttle aboard?" he asked.

"Aye sir" came the rely of the transporter chief.

"Very well, get us out of here before the Borg discovers we're here" Picard said.

As the Enterprise sped away from the dying sun and went into Warp, Picard looked at Q who was now standing by the turbolift doors.

"The Borg, they want this human?" Picard asked rhetorically.

"Yes, and believe me, this is going to be a big surprise, especially for you Jean-Luc" replied Q. He gestured towards the Turbolift.

"After you" Q gestured towards the Turbolift.

"Why don't you just transport us there?" demanded Picard.

"I like the suspense on your face" Q said.

**CHAPTER 2**

Beverly Crusher was in her officer, making some last minute preparations for the arrival of the pilot. Out in the main sickbay she heard the whine of a transporter and then the startled yelp of surprise from a junior med tech. A few moments later she felt the ship go into high warp, but that was forgotten as she entered the main area and stopped short. Unconscious, badly burned across his chest, laid someone she loved more dearly than anything in the galaxy. She was looking at her son Wesley.

"2nd degree burns to his chest and left arm, I've given him a standard hypo to up his immune system in case he's got some kind of infection" reported the Med Tech. Doctor Crusher could also see that a dermal regenerator had been applied to Wesley's worst burns, those on his neck and abdomen.

Beverly moved to his side, and gently patted his arm.

"My god, what happened to you?" she murmured. A second later the doors opened and Picard walked in, Q just behind him.

"-and further more Q, I do not appreciate being dragged into yet another of your damned…" Picard's voice trailed off as he too saw the pilot laying on the bio bed.

"Wesley?" muttered Picard.

"I told you it would be a surprise" said Q softly.

"How is he?' asked Picard moving over to Beverly. Beverly seemed distracted. Picard gently put his hand on her shoulder.

"Beverly?" he asked again. Beverly shook her head to clear it, and looked at the readings.

"He's got 2nd degree burns to 23 of his body, his airway is compromised, but we got him here with enough time to help him" reported Nurse Ogawa. Picard nodded and gently guided Beverly into her office, Q trailing behind.

"Beverly…" began Picard. Beverly took a deep breath.

"How… why?... Jean Luc, what happened to him?" she asked softly.

"I don't know" he admitted. Then it was his turn to take a deep breath.

"All we know is that he was in a shuttle and was being pursued by a Borg Cube" Picard replied. "And, Q kept us here long enough to give us time to save him" Picard added. Beverly looked at Q.

"Thank you" she said sincerely.

"See, finally someone realizes I'm not always here to torment you" Q said.

"You say the Borg were after him?" asked Beverly.

"It appears so, but until we talk to Wesley himself, this is all we know"

"Q, you know more then you're telling us" accused Beverly. Q shook his head.

"All we know is that he encountered the Borg while on Tal Alpha C whilst training, and then during one of his trips further a field, he ran into them. I provided him with transport and held up the Borg as long as I could, well until the rest of the Continuum realized what I had done, and considered it meddling. By the time they realized what was happening it was too late to prevent the chase, which is why I came here, and stopped your engines before you could leave" Q explained.

"So you acted out of the goodness of your heart?" said Picard.

"Not at all, if the Borg assimilate him, as they did with the rest of Tal Alpha C they'd become a much greater threat, and not even sure the Q could stop them in that instance" Q said.

"Wait a second, Tal Alpha C has been assimilated?" demanded Picard.

"Yes, when the Borg first caught up to Wesley, they managed to follow his trail their. Whilst the first cube remained and assimilated that world, the second one continued the chase"

"Two cubes?" asked Picard, growing more and more worried.

"Actually the task force the Borg sent to capture him is made up of 5 Borg ships. All of them about to run amok through Federation Space searching for him" Q stated.

"WHAT?" yelled Picard.

"I say it how it is Jean Luc, I didn't make the rules, and if I did this wouldn't have happened in the first place" Q replied.

"Can't you stop the Borg?" asked Beverly.

"Certainly I could, but the thing is, I can't"

"Why not?" asked Picard.

"You were a Borg once Picard, think about it, what would their response be if five of their vessels suddenly vanished while in Federation space?" Q asked.

"The rest of the collective would send an entire task force to find out what happened, and it would consist of more than five ships" Picard said at length.

"Can't you just…" Beverly began, not believing what she was about to say. "Can't you just wipe the Borg out?" she continued. Q's eyes actually widened at the suggestion, but it was Picard who spoke up.

"The Borg is as intricate a part of the galaxy as we are Beverly. To remove them as a threat would only tip the balance of power somewhere else, and that could lead to an even worse threat than what the Borg represent"

"Bravo Picard" applauded Q. Picard turned to face him, his face like thunder. He was _not_ a happy man, not in the least.

"Keep me advised of his condition, I'll be on the bridge" Picard muttered to Doctor Crusher over his shoulder. He quickly left sickbay, Q a few steps behind. Slowly Beverly stood from behind her desk and walked back out to her son's resting form. She gazed at him, and felt a small tear slide slowly down her check.

**Vagus Sector, 5 light years away from the Romulan Neutral Zone**

Commander Elias Vaughan ran down the corridor of the doomed ship, the USS Tripoli, his daughter running beside him. Around them the ship was rocking like an old sea vessel.

"Mom!" yelled Prynn Tenmei, as behind her, her mother, Ruriko stumbled over some fallen debris. Vaughan turned to return to her when a violent explosion rocked the ship. An instant later he saw, not six feet away a white beam punch its way through the above decks and to an unknown number below. _NO! _The thought screamed in Vaughan's mind, even as a level ten force field erected between himself and his beloved wife. Ruriko looked at him, her face streaked with tears, and Vaughn watched, helpless in his anguish as the deck beneath Ruriko began sliding upwards.

"MOM!!" Screamed Prynn, rushing forwards only to be held back by the strong, iron grip of her father. Vaughan let the tears fall, as the deck carrying his wife was lifted out of view. A few seconds later he shook his head to clear it, with the power failing throughout the Tripoli he couldn't be certain how long that the force field protecting them from the decompression of space. He gripped his daughter hand and dragged her screaming away from the scene of destruction.

"I hate you!" Screamed Prynn, kicking out, lashing out at her father.

"I know" Vaughan replied, his voice barely a whisper.

"Incoming message from Starfleet" Reported Worf from his position at the tactical and communications station. Riker looked at him and nodded. He tapped his comm. Badge to summon the captain, when the turbolift doors opened and he walked out, Q in tow.

"Captain, we're receiving a communication from Starfleet command" Riker said. Picard nodded.

"I'll take it in my ready room" Picard replied. Then he turned to Q. "You, will wait here" Q looked almost insulted, but shrugged.

"You know what its about Picard" Q said. Riker looked at his captain, then at Q in puzzlement, but remained silent.

Picard walked into his ready room and sat down behind the desk.

"Computer, route incoming communication to this console" he ordered. A moment later, the Starfleet emblem was replaced by the face of Admiral Ross.

"Admiral" Greeted Picard.

"Captain, you'll forgive me if I go straight to the point" said Ross. Picard nodded.

"Of course Admiral" said Picard, the sinking feeling in his stomach becoming greater each moment that passed.

"Starfleet command received a distress call from the USS Tripoli at 07:42 today. They were out mapping a star cluster there, because of Reports of the Romulans building small listening outposts on the planets, however they came under attack by the Borg"

"Survivors?" asked Picard.

"Only 71 people made it out alive, the ship and the remaining crew were apparently assimilated, although the escape pods were scanned by the Borg, but left unmolested. Not typical Borg behavior"

"Unless of course they were looking for something and couldn't find it" replied Picard. Ross narrowed his eyes.

"Jean Luc, did you Know the Borg were in Federation Space?" asked Ross.

"Something I've only just learned I'm afraid. But the news gets worse"

"It's bad enough already, I don't see how it could conceivably get any worse, but go on, I'm listening" Ross said. Picard nodded and took a deep breath.

"They're here looking for an old crewmember of the Enterprise, Wesley Crusher"

"I remember you telling me about him, but I thought he had become a… Traveler, wasn't it?" asked Ross. Picard nodded, as he prepared to continue.

"Yes, but according to the entity, Q, who is also here by the way, the Borg encountered Wesley while he was testing his new powers, they see him as a new breed of Human, one with something they want"

"So as well as the Borg threat we've got Q here as well, wonderful" muttered Ross.

"that's not all. From what Q's told me, it looks like there may be as many as Five Borg Vessels heading into Federation Space" Picard told him bluntly. Ross's eyes went wide.

"We couldn't amass a force to beat one Borg Cube at Wolf 359, we haven't got a prayer against 5 of them" Ross exclaimed.

"I know, one of which has already assimilated Tal Alpha C, and at the moment I don't know what to do about it" said Picard.

"What's Q's angle on this. He's never willing helped us before, why start now?" asked Ross at length.

"Apparently if the Borg get hold of Wesley and assimilate him, they might even become powerful enough to threaten the Q"

"This just gets worse and worse" said Ross.

"Indeed" Agreed Picard.

"I'll have to liaise with the rest of command on this Jean Luc, I'll contact you in the next two hours"

"I'll be waiting" Picard replied.

"Ross out" The screen went blank, leaving Picard to ponder his own thoughts.

**Deep in Federation Territory: **

The Borg cube came out of transwarp.

"_ENTERING GRID 045. BEGINNING SCANS. FEDERATION MEMBER WORLD AT GRID COORDINATES 23.3 DESIGNATION: BETAZED. BEGIN ASSIMILATION."_

**CHAPTER 3**

Picard sat at the head of the conference room table. His senior staff sitting around him.

"Comments?" asked Picard finally.

"Maybe we could hide the ship somewhere?" suggested Deanna Troi.

"Warriors do not Hide from their enemies" rumbled Worf.

"Bridge to Captain Picard"

Picard held up his hand for silence.

"Yes, what is it?"

"Sir, we've just received a Transmission from Starfleet. Fleet wide broadcast. Sir. Apparently the Borg have attacked again" the young Lt.'s voice quavered over the comm. Link. Picard felt the eyes of his senior staff boring into him from all directions. His throat was suddenly very dry.

"Where?" he asked quietly.

"Sir.. We've lost Betazed" Across the table, Picard found himself looking at Deanna, who's hand had gone to her mouth. Next to her Beverly gripped her other hand tightly.

"How many casualties?" asked Picard.

"The report is still coming in, but at last figure, 32 million"

"Oh man" muttered Geordie LaForge shaking his head.

"thank you Ensign Palmer, unless there is anything else?"

"Sir, I think you should know, Lwaxanna Troi was on the planet when they attacked"

"Thank you, Conference room out" Picard said. The room fell silent for several minutes, with the exception of Deanna's frantic sobbing. Finally Picard spoke up.

"This is grave news indeed, but for the moment our personal feelings must be put aside" he said, not without sympathy for the counselor. He turned to Data, and asked his next question.

"Data, how bad does this make the situation?" he asked.

"Very bad sir, extrapolating a course from Betazed, they could conceivably end up at either Andoria or Vulcan, that is if they do not go back the way they entered the system" The Android reported.

"Divide and conquer. Rather than an all out attack they're taken systems at a time" Muttered Riker. There was a flash behind him, and Q appeared in the empty seat next to Worf.

"And they'll keep taking your star systems until they've got what they want Riker. It's par for the course, they're relentless. And if you do, somehow manage to destroy those five ships, they'll send ten more, then a hundred"

"Q your not helping!" Picard's voice thundered through the room.

"And you think this pointless session will shed some light on what to do? Picard, your outnumbered, out manned and out of your league" Q replied.

"So what do you suggest we do?" snapped Worf, surprising everyone in the room.

"Moi? If I were you Picard, I'd remove the reason the Borg were here, but then again, now they have a foot hold in the quadrant, they'll most likely carry on with their invasion"

"Q you told me that you can't interfere, but surely, what's happened here can be undone?"

"Honestly captain, I truly do not know, you put it quaintly to your doctor, if I remove these five ships, more will come, and if I remove the entire species then who will rise to take their place?"

"A double edged sword" muttered Geordie.

"So that leaves us with the burning question. What do we do?" asked Picard.

The light seemed brighter somehow, the smell of burning no longer invade his senses, nor the alarms that screamed he was about to die. Slowly Wesley opened his eyes, looking at the bright light above his bio bed. He made to move, but a groan escaped him as pain lanced through his body.

"Sickbay to Doctor Crusher, he's awake" said a voice just to his left.

"On my way" came the crisp response.

"Easy Wesley, try to relax" said the voice. A moment later a woman's face came into view.

"Here, this should help ease the pain somewhat" she continued. A moment later Wesley felt the hypo touch the side of his neck. The pain began to subside, enough so he could move his head.

"Thanks" he said. Well croaked would be a better word. The nurse looked at him quizzically, then ran a medical tricorder along Wesley's throat and chest.

"Hmmm. It looks like the heat managed to scorch your larynx as well as your throat" the nurse explained. "I can give you something for it, but not until Doctor Crusher has looked you over. Ahh" Wesley moved his head at the sound of the sickbay doors opening. He caught a glimpse of his mother entering with counselor Troi.

"How do you feel?" asked Beverly looking down at him. Wesley wanted to reply _like crap! _but only managed a wheezing cough.

"His larynx has been scorched as well Doctor. I didn't know until after I gave him a hypo for the pain" explained the nurse who had treated Wesley. Beverly nodded.

"We knew it was a possibility, how much of a dosage did you give him?"

"14cc's anything less and it wouldn't be very effective"

"Okay, we'll give it half an hour, then give him a dosage of Stymaphor"

"Aye sir" replied the nurse walking out of site. Beside Beverly Deanna looked as if she had been crying about something. Wesley gently reached out to take her hand, his eyes saying what his voice could not. Deanna smiled and took his hand.

"We'll talk about it later" she said softly. Wesley nodded, and his eyes found his mother again. Again he held out his hand, and Beverly took it. She smiled down at him. Then she turned to Deanna, said something, and Deanna nodded.

"I've got to go and check some things out, but Deanna will sit with you" Beverly said. Wesley nodded, and watched his mother leave. Deanna moved to the corner of the room and took a chair, bringing it back to the bed, sitting next to him she took his hand again.

"It's ok Wes, we're here" she said softly.

Picard paced his ready room, eventually slamming his fist onto the desk.

"Tut tut Jean Luc. What did the furniture ever do to you?" Q said, appearing in the captains seat behind the desk, his feet on the table. Picard didn't protest, and in fact found Q's presence to be a relief. He was surprised, he found himself thinking. Q hadn't abandoned them to their fates, he hadn't been obnoxious, well he had, but not to his usual degree. Now Picard found he had to be candid to the super being.

"Q" he began. Then he sat down and put his head in his hands.

"I'm listening" Q replied.

"… This is not easy for me to say, especially to you-"

"That sentence started so well too" said Q with a sigh.

"But I feel that I should thank you, you helped save the life of the person I consider to be my only son"

"For good reason, as I said, we can't have the boy being assimilated now" Q replied.

"But still I was surprised" Picard said.

"At what?"

"In the conference room. When Worf asked what your solution to the current situation was, I half expected you to say kill the boy"

"To be truthful, the thought hadn't crossed my mind" Q began. Then he sighed.

"Picard, we can no more remove Wesley from the universe than we can the Borg" Q explained.

"Still I have to believe there is some way out of this, something we can do to prevent this getting any worse" Picard muttered. Q suddenly went strangely silent. After a moment Picard looked up at him.

"Well there is a solution, but it has to come from the boy himself" Q told him. This got Picard's complete attention.

I'll explain to it to you, but Wesley will have to realize it for himself, otherwise. Well, the universe itself might take affront to outside meddling, and not even I would want that"

"Sir, we're receiving a priority one transmission" reported Worf. Riker looked up at him.

"Captain Picard to the Bridge" said Riker. A moment later Picard walked out of his ready room, looking less frustrated then when he entered.

"Number one?" Picard asked, taking his chair.

"We're receiving a fleet wide priority one transmission" said Worf.

"What the hells happened now?" mused Picard.

"Shield's at 40, falling fast" reported Miles Edward O'Brian from his console in Ops.

"I needs those shields reinforced Chief" said Benjamin Sisko, from the large round strategic Operations table set into the command circle.

"Sir, I've got every system on the station feeding the shields, they are reinforced" O'Brian replied.

"Are the Weapons back on line?" Sisko demanded. Although he had no idea what the weapons would do to the Borg Cube.

"Benjamin, the Borg ship is hailing us" Reported Jadzia Dax.

"On screen" Sisko ordered.

"_WE ARE THE BORG. WE HAVE SCANNED YOUR TECHNOLOGY AND FOUND IT IS UNABLE TO WITHSTAND US. YOU WILL LOWER YOUR SHIELDS AND PREPARE FOR ASSIMILATION"_

"Over my dead body!" shouted Kira Nerys, standing next to Sisko.

"_YOU WILL BECOME ONE WITH THE BORG. RESISTANCE IS FUTILE"_

"They've cut communications" said Dax a moment later.

"Battle stations people" ordered Sisko.

"Sir, the Borg have locked on, the shields… they're gone!" yelled O'Brian. A second later there was the deadly hum of a transporter, Sisko pulled a hand phaser and struck the first Borg, sending it tumbling. Jadzia took aim at a second one, but then felt the strong grip of a bog on her shoulder, then the felling of assimilation tubes entering her body. Even as she fell convulsing to the ground The Borg drone turned to face the next threat.

"JADZIA!" yelled Julian Bashir, leaping the railing to run to her side. He got three feet closer then Jadzia sat up, already her face was mottled. Julain looked on in horror as her stomach began squirming, the symboint was rejecting from the now foreign host. It moved out under her tunic, but even as it moved a few centimeters Borg implants began to sprout from it.

"Julian!" yelled Kira, as she battled off another Drone. Julian stood then looked down where Jadzia had grabbed his leg. He closed his eyes as the assimilation tubes inserted into his ankle.

"I'm sorry" he said softly. Beside him, watching the Transformation, the Drone that had once been Ruriko looked on emotionless.

Picard sat once again in the conference Room.

"DS9, Betazed, The Tripoli and now Vulcan" said Worf. "They're taking the Federation a piece at a time" he continued.

"I agree, Captain, to be honest, I don't think we can win this one" said Riker. Picard nodded and then looked at LaForge and Data.

"What about you two?" he asked.

"Sir. I do not believe we can beat back the Borg. Not at this time. Perhaps not ever" said Data.

"I never took you for a pessimist Data" said Q.

"Not a Pessimist, a realist. I do not have the emotion to express what I feel at this time. But I do know this. The longer we remain here, the less likely we will survive" The Android continued. Picard nodded then looked at Geordie.

"Lt.?" he prompted.

"Sir. I have to agree, to remain here would be suicide, and yes, I'm all for dying for the cause, but in this case? The cause seems to already be lost" Geordie said.

"Nevertheless we are a Federation Starship and even if we become the sole remaining Starship we will continue with it's ideals. No matter what might come" Picard told them.

"Sir, no one is refuting that statement, but, to coin a phrase, is discretion not the better part of valor?" asked Data.

"Picard, your running out of Options. You can't go forwards, you can't go back, soon you'll no where left to go, but to simply take a stand" said Q. "A stand you cannot win"

"We've beaten the Borg before" said Worf.

"Yes, one Cube, not five" said Riker, surprising Worf.

"Your time is slipping away faster and faster Picard. Think quickly or not at all" said Q, before vanishing.

**To Be Continued…..**


	2. Beginning of the End Part 2

**Power Corrupts**

**Part 2**

**Chapter 1**

_In the airless void of space, time has no meaning. Suns are born, they burn for millennia then die (usually spectacularly) but for the people who lived in those systems, on those planets, warmed by those suns, time was an infinite devourer of what they held dear. Years passed, people were born, lived their lives then died. And all through this the suns would warm them. But now, as the Andorian people looked up to their sky, at their sun, they knew fear, and not the fear of death. This fear had a name, a form, a substance. This fear was called the Borg…_

**USS Enterprise, Bridge**

Things were happening, had already happened. The kind of things that gave a person nightmares as a child and hunted them as an adult. These thought's kept replaying through the mind of Captain Jean Luc Picard. So engrossed was he, he didn't see or hear the approach of his first officer.

"you look troubled captain" said Riker, unofficially offering himself as a sounding board. Picard sighed and looked at him.

"I've been thinking number one, replaying past encounters, to see if I should have, could have, acted differently" Picard said.

"Any memories in particular?" asked Riker.

"Our dealings with the Traveler for one, and Wesley's choice between Starfleet and his new life as a Traveler" Picard admitted.

"Captain, if you knew then what you know now, would you have behaved differently with Wesley?" asked Riker. Picard sighed again.

"Honestly Number one, I don't know. The problem is it's far to easy to look back on life and say I should have done this or that. I believe I did for Wesley what I could, that we all did. It is his life, his choice. Even back then, did I have the right to deny Wesley his future as a Traveler?"

"No one has the right to deny anyone of their future Captain" Replied Riker softly. Picard nodded.

"A wise man once said: I did all that I could, and to the best of my abilities, if it still goes wrong, its not through my actions" Riker said. Picard raised an eyebrow.

"Who said that?"

"You sir, about a week after I came on board at Far Point" Riker replied with a grin. Picard rolled his eyes.

"Droll Number one"

"Yet very true" Riker countered.

"Captain, Starfleet have just sent out another communication" reported Worf from his station. Picard looked up at him.

"Lt?" he prompted.

"Sir. Contact has now been lost with Andoria" The Klingon said.

Picard nodded then stood.

"you have the bridge Number one, I'll be in sickbay"

"Aye sir" replied Riker.

Down in sickbay, Beverly was pressing a hypo to Wesley's neck. The young man looked at her, and took a deep breath.

"Mom?" he asked. Beverly smiled, and rubbed a hand across his cheek.

"You'll be just fine" she assured him. Besides Wesley, Troi watched the exchange, happy for the reunited family. She was about to speak when the doors to sickbay opened and Picard Walked in. Beverly gestured to her office, and The pair moved off towards it.

"How do you feel?" asked Troi, looking down at her young friend.

"To be honest, it hurts" Wesley replied, moving his arm ever so slightly. Troi nodded.

"Well with burns like that, I'm not surprised" Troi stated. Wesley gave her a small smile.

"So. What's happened?" Wesley asked at length. Troi had been expecting the question for some time, but she wasn't willing to answer it. The pain was still too fresh in her mind. She had hoped that being here, for her friend would help her take her mind off what had happened. She was saved from answering by the return of Beverly along with Picard.

"Wesley" Greeted the Captain.

"I seem to have gotten myself into a slight mess sir" Wesley said in greeting. Picard smiled at the young man, but everyone could tell it was forced.

"Wes, do you remember what happened?" asked Picard. Wesley nodded.

"The Borg, I remember them, chasing me. I went to Tal Alpha C, so refuel my shuttle, about a day after I left there, the Borg caught up with me, they fired on the shuttle, and then I woke up here" Wesley said.

"Wesley, I'm afraid things are a lot worse now"

"How?" asked Wesley.

"The Borg followed you, into Federation space, five cubes" Picard began. He faltered when Wesley closed his eyes.

"Go on" Wesley prompted.

"They're looking for you everywhere, and unfortunately they're taking the Federation as well, a world at a time" Picard wanted to spare Wesley's feelings, but truthfully, there was no way to soften news of this sort.

"Which worlds?" asked Wesley, tears running down his cheeks.

"Wesley-" began Beverly.

"Mom, I have to know, I have to know what I've caused" Wesley said.

"Betazed, Andoria, Vulcan, DS9, the Tripoli…" Picard said. Wesley looked at Deanna.

"I'm sorry. I…." he began, but before he could continue, the tears burst forth. Deanna cradled him gently in her arms, rocking him back and forth. Beverly looked at Picard, her gaze like stone, Picard returned the look, her son was a man now, and he had to know what his actions had caused. He was saved from actually saying something that might ruin their friendship by the red alert klaxon. He immediately tapped his comm. Badge.

"Picard to bridge, situation report" he ordered.

"Sir, we've just entered the Trill system, however it looks like Trill itself is undergoing assimilation" reported Riker. Picard glanced at Wesley who looked paler than before.

"Any signs of Borg vessels?" asked Picard.

"Affirmative, there is a Borg cube currently assimilating the Trill shipyards" reported Worf.

"Captain. I know what to do" said Wesley quietly. There was a flash and Q appeared beside Troi, startling everyone. Picard shot him an irritated glance, but quickly looked back at Wesley.

"Sir. If we can go back… Back to where I joined the Traveler…. I can persuade my younger self to not go with him"

"That would of course mean everything we've encountered up to this point would not have happened" said Deanna. Wesley looked at her, his gaze hard.

"Is that so bad?" he asked.

"He does have a point" conceded Q.

"It looks like we have a plan" said Picard.

Meanwhile far away across the Galaxy, deep in the heart of the Delta Quadrant, things were beginning to happen.

The Queen Borg moved her head, seeing things in her eyes that were happening far away. He had escaped her once, the one called Picard. But no matter how much he ran, or where he ran to, he was still connected, at a deep level, beyond the physical, beyond the mental.

"Thank you for sharing this wit us Locutus" she said aloud. It was time to put a spanner in the works. The stage was set. She looked at a screen which showed her one of the five vessels in the Alpha quadrant.

"Proceed to Sector 001" she ordered. "Prepare for assimilation"

**Chapter 2**

Wesley stood in one of the Observation lounges. He was wearing a standard civilian uniform, much like the one he wore when he was an acting ensign. He'd been allowed out of sickbay, as long as he promised to take it easy. Outside the view port the stars moved past in long streaks. Behind him he heard the door open.

"Hello Data, Geordie" He greeted without looking at them.

"Hey Wes" greeted Geordie, taking a seat. Data remained standing. Wesley looked at his two best friends.

"Something wrong?" he asked.

"I'm afraid there is Wesley" said Data. "We have analyzed your plan to go back and stop yourself, but we feel it is too risky"

"Too Risky" echoed Geordie.

"so what then?" asked Wesley.

"We have discussed this with Captain Picard and Admiral Ross, We are going to remove the source of the Borg's invasion" stated Data.

"Remove the….?" Wesley echoed.

"Don't worry Wes, I'll make it painless" said Beverly walking in with Troi.

"Painless? After what he's done? Let him feel pain, let him feel what my world went through!" said Deanna. Wesley back up, but had nowhere to go. Geordie stood up and moved to his left, while Data moved to his right. Troi and his mother approached head on, hands outstretched.

"Stop it" said Wesley. The group ignored him, and he felt the fingernails of Troi rake through his uniform.

"Please, stop!" yelled Wesley.

"STOP IT!!" Wesley screamed as he sat upright on his bio bed. Troi rushed to him from by Beverly's office.

"Wesley?" she asked. Wesley looked at her, and Troi's heart went out to him. The young man, the man who had saved the ship, stood up for the right's of others when the other's had not been able to, became the frightened young child. Troi took him in her arms and rocked him gently.

"Shush, it's ok Wesley, we're here" Troi comforted him. Finally Wesley pulled himself away from her.

"I'm sorry" he said softly.

"Wesley…" Troi began. Behind her Beverly walked out of her office, as Data and Geordie walked in.

"I didn't know this would happen, I didn't mean for this to happen, for Betazed, and Trill…" then his resolve gave, and the tears burst forth, and he didn't give a damn. Beverly rushed to her son and held him tightly with Deanna.

"I would hug you too Wesley, but with your present injuries and my strength I might cause you more harm" Data offered. The group looked at the android.

"Data, you really need to work on tact" said Geordie.

"But Geordie, I have worked the tactical station several times in my career" replied Data. Almost at once the people in the room began to laugh. It started with Wesley, then Beverly, then Deanna, and finally Geordie.

"I take it I said something humorous?" asked Data. Geordie shook his head and moved over to Wesley, holding out his hand. Wesley shook it, then all pretense of formality went out the window as Geordie hugged Wesley as well.

There were worse places to be, Wesley reflected, then with your friends.

On the Bridge Worf was becoming bored, yet again his console was flashing an incoming fleet wide communication.

"Sir, message from Starfleet" he said. "what's left of it at any rate" he added under his breath.

"Quite a lot of it I hope" said Picard, looking at the startled Klingon. "On Screen"

"Yes… sir" replied Worf. As Picard turned to the view screen, Worf saw Riker looking at him. _He hears everything_ Riker mouthed. Worf gave a small nod.

On the Viewscreen the haggard face of William Ross appeared. He was on Earth, and behind him the building was rumbling.

"This is a priority one transmission, the Borg have attacked Earth, the Borg have-" the transmission cut off into static.

"Merde" muttered Picard.

"Sir, there is a set of orders encoded within the transmission" said Worf. Picard moved up the horse shoe to stand next to him.

"And?" he asked.

"All remaining Federation ships are to… abandon Federation space" Worf replied. All sounds on the bridge ceased. Finally Picard spoke up. "Open ship wide communications" he ordered. Worf pressed a series of controls, then nodded at Picard.

"All Hands this is the Captain. We have just received grave news. Earth, and Starfleet command have now been assimilated"

In Sickbay, Beverly, Wesley, Troi, Data and Geordie looked at each other as the captains voice echoed around the ship.

"To this end, all remaining Federation ships have been given one final order, abandon Federation space"

In Ten Forwards Guinan stopped serving the drinks as the Captains news sent shockwaves through the room.

"It is with a heavy heart that I relay this news, but as long as you serve on this ship, and uphold the ideals that gave form to the Federation from it's earliest conceptions, then the Federation will not fall. Picard out"

"You know, it almost makes me feel sad" said Q, who was propping up the bar. Guinan looked at him.

"You know, ultimately it was you who caused this"' the hostess said.

"And why do you think that?" asked Q.

"You exposed them to the Borg, long before they should've encountered each other"

"phiff" muttered Q. "I gave them a taste of what was to come, and eventually the boy would've got his powers as a Traveler and the Borg would be here anyway, the difference is that if they hadn't been exposed to them, the Federation would not have realized just what had landed on their door step" he went on. "But the real point is, they _did_ know what had come into their midst… and it made no difference" he finished. Guinan looked out of the view port, memories flooding her mind. It took her several seconds to realize that Q was talking again.

"What did you say?" she asked the entity.

"I said you weren't around when the Borg attacked your people. Where were you?"

"You're a god, you tell me" Guinan replied. Q's reply was to smirk at her.


	3. Exodus

Chapter 1

The bridge of the USS Enterprise had been silent for several hours. The only noise the small chirping of computer terminals. Picard sat in his chair with Deanna sat to his left and Riker to his right. Data was stationed at Ops, and Geordie was at the engineering station to the back of the bridge. Also sitting next to Deanna was Wesley, who had been released from sickbay. He'd asked Picard if he could stay on the bridge for the duration of their mission and Picard had readily agreed. Secretly he always believed Wesley's place had been on the bridge. Now however he was not the child who had so often piloted the great vessel, but a grown man tempered by the harsh realities of a universe that didn't have a safety net, or a starship to catch him if he fell. Up at tactical Worf was unhappy, abandoning Federation space was bad enough, the Fact that Q had taken up an almost permanent residency next to him was beginning to grate. He was grateful when the ships sensors picked up a mass of vessels.

"Sir, picking up a large group of Federation signatures dead ahead" the Klingon reported.

"Are we within visual range yet?" asked Picard.

"We will be within Visual range in approximately two minutes" Worf replied.

"So this is it" mused Riker. "The end of a civilization"

"Not the end number one, its never the end, not unless we allow the dream that is the Federation to die" Picard replied. Beside him, Troi shifted in her seat.

"It will never be the same though" she said softly.

"And it'll be saved" said Wesley beside her. Troi looked at him, feeling the certainty in his words.

"Coming within visual range now Picard" said Q, glancing over Worf's shoulder. The Klingon glowered at him.

"I am quite able to carry out my duties without your assistance" Worf rumbled. Q looked at him.

"And they didn't even need to simplify the interface for you, your abilities grow each time we meet" shot back Q.

"Enough" snapped Picard. "Put the vessels on screen" he ordered.

The Viewscreen changed to show a plethora of Federation ships heading the same way as them.

"I have identified five hundred and seventy two vessels captain" reported Data.

"Mass exodus" said Picard. As Picard watched the viewscreen, he could make out another Galaxy class starship, either the USS Galaxy, or the USS Redemption, arrayed around it were around twenty colony transports. There were also several Ambassador Class vessels, an Oberth class medical frigate, and even a few Klingon War birds.

"Helm, bring us into formation with the rest of the fleet" Ordered Picard.

"It's amazing, so many vessels, you'd think we could stop the Borg with this many ships" said Riker.

"One or two yes, but not five of them" replied Picard. He didn't need to remind Riker of Wolf 359, where over a hundred Federation vessels had partaken in a battle against a lone Borg Cube, and still lost.

At the ops station Data swiveled his chair to face the command section.

"Wesley, I have a question" said the Android.

"Sure Data" replied Wesley.

"I understand that going back in time and preventing yourself from accepting the Travelers offer will prevent this from happening, but when we return here, you do realize in essence you will not return with us" said the Android.

"I know Data" replied the young man. Riker and Troi looked at him sharply.

"What?" asked Riker.

"The Enterprise will return to this time, and hopefully to an unassimilated Federation, but none of this will have happened for me" Said Wesley.

"Then you will be sacrificing yourself to save the Federation" stated Worf. "A Warriors choice" he approved.

"Well I bloody well don't" protested Riker. "Wes, to all intents and purposes you'll be dead" the First Officer said.

"This Wesley will be" Wesley replied pointing to himself. "But that Wesley, the one yet to experience all this will be alive and well" he added.

"But what of your experiences Wes?" asked Geordie. "Surely that's important too" The Chief Engineer continued. The Bridge fell silent for several minutes. Finally Picard spoke up.

"Once we've assisted the Convoy in reaching deep space, we'll double back and head for the Cardassian boarder" said Picard. "Who knows, something may well-" Picard began. He was cut off by a shout from Worf.

"Captain, the Fleet has just gone to red alert" he reported. "Communications are relaying the cause, the Fleet has been ambushed" Worf looked up sharply. "The Borg, all five cubes" he reported.

"They knew" muttered Riker.

"Of course they knew" said Q from beside Worf. "The Borg are capable of intercepting transmissions as well"

"Damn it!" yelled Picard, from tactical Worf's voice sang out, "We're losing vessels at an exceptional rate" reported the Klingon.

"Sir, I'm picking up an antimatter surge from the USS Redemption" said Data.

'On Screen Worf" reported Picard. He watched in horror as awe as the other Galaxy class vessel overloaded it's engines, then rammed into the nearest cube. The explosion was blinding, and when the debris had settled the Redemption was gone, as for the Borg cube it had stopped moving and fires were raging across its surface.

"Hail the ships nearest the Damaged Cube, tell them to get out of there!" yelled Riker. It was a futile command as the remaining mass of the Borg cube exploded, the shock wave sent several of the nearest ships hurtling into each other. Where there had been hundreds of Federation ships there was now a chaotic display of large explosions and antimatter breaches.

"A waste, a damned waste" muttered Picard.

"Borg Vessel Approaching us, intercept in 12 seconds" said Worf.

"Helm, set course for the Cardassian border, maximum Warp" ordered Picard. The Ensign at Helm responded by setting the ship of it's course.

"Are the Borg following?" asked Troi. Worf shook his head. "No, they're too busy assimilating the remainder of the Fleet" Said Worf.

"Once they discover I'm not there, then we'll have them all after us" stated Wesley. Picard nodded.

"Then we'll have to make sure we give them a damned run for their money" Picard replied will barely concealed fury.

Chapter 2

**Captains Log: Supplemental.**

**We have been on course for the Cardassian Border for 3 hours now. We don't expect to reach there until 21:00 hours tomorrow. We received our last Transmission from the remainder of the fleet 27 minutes ago. From what we can gather from the garbled transmission, it appears the Federation ships in the fleet have been assimilated. All this can mean is that we will soon have sufficiently more than five Borg vessels on our tail. I can only hope our speedy exit from the fleet will allow us enough time to carry out our plan to go back in time and stop this happening.**

Guinan watched the young human as he stared out of the windows in Ten Forwards, looking much the same as he had when she had first met him. Gliding up soundlessly to stand beside him she spoke up.

"What do you see out there?" she asked. Wesley looked at her, smiling. That'd had been the first thing she'd asked him when they met.

"If I say the crab nebula and no I don't want anything will you leave me alone this time" he said with a grin.

"I don't know, did that work last time?" asked Guinan.

"No" replied Wesley.

"There's your answer then" Guinan replied. The stood silent for several moments, then Guinan spoke up again.

"I hear that of you go back in time and stop yourself from accepting your power, when we get back here, you'll be dead" said the hostess. Wesley nodded.

"If it means stopping the Borg from attacking, wouldn't you sacrifice yourself?" asked Wesley.

"I don't know, I've had a long life, and hopefully it'll be even longer, but if I could go back in time and stop my people being wiped out, losing everything I've learned in the process since then, I can't give an honest answer" she admitted. Wesley smiled at her.

"That's slightly different, you've had over a hundred years between the Borg attack on your people and now, I've had about 2 months" he said. Guinan smiled and put her hand on his shoulder.

"Then you're a braver person than I"

"Not really, it's one thing to stop a disaster from happening, its another to have to rebuild out of the ashes of one" he replied.

"So might I ask what the plan is?" asked Guinan.

"We're going back to the colony where I joined the Traveler. Once there we'll slingshot around it's sun, and hopefully I'll be able to talk myself into not accepting the power"

"Sounds risky" Guinan replied.

"We'll have to make sure the Cardassian's don't see us enter the system, and once we travel back, we'll have to make sure we don't run into ourselves" said Wesley.

"How will you manage that?" Guinan queried.

"We'll go back to about a week before the Enterprise arrives there. I can beam down to the colony then, keep out of sight and wait until my earlier self turns up" Wesley told her. Guinan nodded but remained silent.

In the Conference Room Picard sat with his senior staff, discussing the very same plan.

"Going back in time to stop himself… It can't be that easy" said Riker.

"I admit it won't be easy" said Geordie, answering Riker's question. "You see we're attempting to arrive within an extremely narrow window of time. Usually the pinpointing we need done to get back there would be impossible"

"Usually?" asked Deanna.

"We have sensor readings from the Dorvan V colony, using those I believe we may be able to pin point the exact time we wish to go to" Data supplied.

"That's the theory anyway" Geordie supplied.

"Theory is all well and good, but in practice?" Asked Riker.

"We plan to use the Main deflector to generate a series of tachyons that are identical to those of Dorvan V, theoretically when we sling shot around the sun, the tachyons we are emitting should automatically pull us back into normal space once we reach the correct time.

"So we'd be arriving at the same time as ourselves?" asked Troi.

"No Counselor, we would arrive about a day before" said Data.

"I thought the plan was a week" said Worf.

"Originally yes it was, however we cannot pinpoint our arrival beyond a day. Said Data

"If we don't arrive at that time, then we'd arrive anything from a week to seven years earlier" Geordie added.

"Well Gentlemen it looks like we have our work cut out for us, so I suggest we begin" said Picard.

"Actually sir, I have a question" said Troi.

"Counselor?" asked Picard.

"Why can't Q take us back and bring us home? Surely it's within his power"

"Yes, I had that thought as well, unfortunately Q is under orders to make sure we do this ourselves, lest he lose his power again"

"We got ourselves into this we can get ourselves out, is that it?" demanded Riker.

"I don't make the rules number one" said Picard.

"Rules and regulations have never stopped Q interfering before, why should they bother him now?" asked Worf.

"That's something only Q can answer" said Picard, ending the topic. With a breath he turned to Data.

"Mr. Data how long until we reach the Dorvan system?"

"At present speed, we will reach the Dorvan system in 22 hours captain" replied the Android. Picard nodded.

"Mr. LaForge, You and Data will have to make the most of the remaining time, We can't be wrong about anything we're about to do"

"We'll be as ready as we can be by the time we reach the Dorvan system Captain" assured Geordie.

"Excellent, well unless there is anything else, your all dismissed, except for you number one" Picard said. He remained sitting as everyone else filed out of the conference room, eventually leaving him alone with Riker.

"Number one, I noticed your objection earlier on the bridge" Said Picard. Riker nodded.

"It's not like I don't understand why we're doing this, or even why Wesley is doing this, but, even though he'll still be alive, it feel's wrong" Riker explained.

"And it should. I have no fondness for losing Wesley either, but this is the only reasonable plan of action we can take"

"But what if he want back and warned himself of the danger instead, so he wouldn't end up being chased by the Borg?" asked Riker.

"I brought up that objection, and Wesley neatly sidestepped it. You see, all it needs is for Starfleet to add a record of him into their files, his abilities and so on, it will be downloaded into every starship's LCARS. That could be far worse in the long run"

"I don't see how" muttered Riker.

"Imagine the Cardassians, the Romulans, the Breen or even the Borg once again, learning of his existence, if you we're one of those powers within the quadrant, what would your response be?"

"I'd try my hardest to get hold of him" replied Riker.

"Exactly my-" Picard began. He was cut off as Worf's voice came over the intercom.

"Sir, we have two Borg vessels converging on our position" reported the Klingon. Picard stood up, quickly followed by Riker.

"Raise shields, red alert" order Picard. He looked at Riker.

"It seems the Borg are one step ahead of us"

"I wish I knew how" replied Riker.

"So do I number one. So do I"

To be continued


End file.
